We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be the first network to launch built-in Wifi calling in the UK when the Samsung Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge and the Lumia 640 become available on EE.

All these handsets are due for release in April.

Wifi calling for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is also in the works and we’ll confirm a release date as soon as details are finalised with Apple – the announcement should be next week. Once we’ve launched on those devices, we’ll activate 100,000 customers a day then move on to the 5S and 5C to ensure we’ve connected Apple users on compatible devices by summer.

With WiFi Calling you can seamlessly make and receive calls and texts over Wifi, even when there’s no mobile signal.

Wifi calling has been the subject of much discussion in the forum over the last six months and, following a delay to the planned launch of the service, we’re delighted to be bringing you this incredibly helpful new technology on these fantastic handsets.

Orange managed to run Wi-Fi calling on android as I had it on a Samsung S2 since January 2013. When I changed contract to EE in September 2014 and a Nokia phone I lost this but was told it would be available in the autumn, then December then spring 2015.

I am at a loss as to why something that was available 2 years ago has taken so long to put in place and disappointed it only seems it is to be introduced on a limited make and type of phone. If a phone can connect to the internet it should be possible to provide Wi-Fi calling.

Actually Orange managed to do it on Blackberry's without a separate app :-) Indeed, I still have it working on my old Blackberry that's on a business Orange contract. No cell reception, no problem, it hops onto wifi, the display shows UMA as the connection and everything springs in to life. I have to say, it's great to have in areas of poor reception.

Ok, so you could argue that it's baked in to the Blackberry and is technically using an app but it differs from the current round of apps in that it is completely transparent to the user, same call handling, same features. Oh, just like this brand new Wifi Calling feature ;-)

I'd be very interested to know what happened between Apple's September 14 Keynote (when EE was revealed to be one of the WiFi calling partners) and now (where on Apple's WiFi calling page no references to EE can be seen).

WiFi Calling will be available at no extra cost for users with compatible devices on EE plans. Calls and texts just come out of your usual allowance.

4G+ is being rolled out in London now, and will cover all of greater London by summer. Then we'll go to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool - we'll deploy in the busiest cities that need the most capacity. We'll have 20 cities covered by the end of 2017. 4G+ is available on all 4GEE Extra plans, with a compatible device - the device must have a 'CAT6' chip to get the full speeds. The new Samsung S6 and HTC M9 both support 4G+. All devices benefit from the extra capacity enabled by the extra spectrum.

WiFi Calling is not an app - it uses the phone's native dialler and text button. We'll provision capable devices over the air.

WiFi Calling will only be supported on EE variants of Android and Microsoft devices.

@brendonx was actually correct. Orange built a Signal Boost app into compatible Orange branded handsets(excluding BlackBerry phones). You would need to open the app to manually enable or disable Signal Boost, you would then be able to use your phone as normal. You would also need to enable or disable WiFi separately from the Signal Boost app.

UMA which stands for Unlicensed Mobile Access, is actually the same as WiFi Calling. Both UMA and WiFi Calling use your WiFi connection to send and receive calls and texts.

Taken from the "About signal boost from Orange" link you provided:

"Once it’s up and running all you have to do is leave WiFi active on your phone and you’ll be able to send and receive calls and texts as normal. Using Signal Boost doesn’t cost any extra – calls and texts are charged at your usual plan rates. To use the internet on your phone, you’ll need to use your home WiFi to use data."

Which is exactly how WiFi Calling will work on EE. All EE have done is used Orange's UMA system, upgraded it to work with EE's core network and rebranded it WiFi Calling.

If you actually read what I've just wrote, you'll see you've just said exactly what I've just wrote.

I wrote:

"Orange built a Signal Boost app into compatible Orange branded handsets(excluding BlackBerry phones). You would need to open the app to manually enable or disable Signal Boost, you would then be able to use your phone as normal. You would also need to enable or disable WiFi separately from the Signal Boost app."

You've also stated yourself(which I've already said) "it was preinstalled on the phone and only available on branded handsets that had the feature in the firmware. So it was an app like @brendonx had previously stated. Nothing was said about it being an app available to everyone, all the OP said was Orange had this service already working and Brendonx stated Orange had a app; which you've acknowledged was built into Orange branded firmware.

Here's a picture of the app you claim Orange didn't use installed on a compatible Orange branded handset.

Like I've already explained UMA and WiFi calling are exactly the same thing but branded two different names.

"Generic Access Network or GAN is a telecommunication system that extends mobile voice, data and multimedia (IMS/SIP) applications over IP networks. Unlicensed Mobile Access or UMA, is the commercial name used by mobile carriers for external IP access into their core networks. More recently, the system has been called Wi-Fi Calling by a number of handset manufacturers, including Apple and Samsung, a move that is being mirrored by carriers like T-Mobile US."

B) it's a waste of time to argue whether something is an app or not. It's like the definition of firmware. Something layered on top of a ROM might depend on something specific to that particular ROM, or might not and work with any ROM. Anyway, how do we know what lies underneath your picture? Or that the icon refers to anything, just because it says "Signal Boost"?

@brendonx I am sure @Inyourbox can speak for himself. There is no need for you to. I was just wondering about the picture - there's such a thing as Photoshop you know. I would have thought that as you are an Android expert you would have noticed what I spotted.

I don't care if it's an app or hard wired into the firware. I just want something that works. I don't even care about whether it works when I'm walking about.. And I'd quite like it this side of 2016.

I completely accept you're sceptical. I'm not going to sit here and "photo shop" app icons onto a picture to try and better myself on here. I have better things to do with my life.

I don't actually use Android, I Googled Signal Boost and that picture popped up.

While you might not care if it's an app or not, some users shouldn't be allowed to post incorrect information.

Screenshot take from the Offical Orange UK YouTube channel..

So to confirm, there was and still is a Orange Signal Boost app for customers who still use older branded Orange handsets as @brendonx has already advised.

And just incase anyone still wants to dispute this, the video can be found here(also explains how to use the app, you know the app that apparently never existed).

Like I said Better, this shouldn't be a argument and I never get involved with arguments and debates on here normally. However I feel some users shouldn't be giving out false information and claiming the information posted by other users is incorrect, when its not.

Up until two weeks ago, my wife was still using an Orange-branded Samsung Galaxy S2, one of the few phones which had the Signal Boost app. It was definitely an app, but it came with the handset (not something you downloaded) and you had to launch it for it to work. I saw quite a few posts in the past where people tried to copy the app to their own Android phones (rooted/custom ROMs), but it never worked. The company who made the app did a good job of that.

Before that, she also used a Blackberry and its UMA feature. You can tell from what I've described that our coverage was awful!

Actually they are both right. There was both an app and firmware. The app was the fornt end allowing you to change settings etc. But unless the phones firmware had support for UMA in it and the correct security certificates the app would not work. That's why copying the app to another phone never worked.

It was a good system and worked well but it never gained support from Apple or Google so it was doomed to a slow death. Blackberry were the only phone manufacturer to support it across virtually their whole range.

Good news but what if people don't want a Samsung, Lumia or IPhone? Would have been far better PR to enable it for ALL compatible phones who have EE contracts but not necessarily running EE firmware. The opportunity to improve EE's poor reputation ruined by a short sighted decision. Oh well, let's see what the other providers offer in terms of WiFi calling, hopefully not as short sighted as this one. EE may well have missed the boat with this decision. If EE should consider opening it up to all compatible phones, I would quite happily run EE firmware, poor signal where I live and WiFi calling would be a god send.

Wifi calling for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is also in the works and we’ll confirm a release date as soon as details are finalised with Apple – the announcement should be next week. Once we’ve launched on those devices, we’ll activate 100,000 customers a day then move on to the 5S and 5C to ensure we’ve connected Apple users on compatible devices by summer.

I know we're technically not at the end of the week but let's be honest, if there isn't an update today then there's not likely to be one this week.

So, do we have an update this week or will even the announcements be delayed?

Can I request an official answer on the matter of VoWiFi on the iPhone 6 models please

If an iPhone6 model type is purchased direct from apple unlocked and a Pay Monthly sim from EE is inserted am I going to get all the wifi calling bells and whistles??

I had planned to buy the phone from EE but the price plan that allows you to pay more for the phone and less every month has been removed on the iPhone 6 models. It would be good to know if the better plans will be re-instated at some point soon as I am not in any rush to buy.

The plan I want only seems to be available for the iphone5c at the moment.

Things seem to have went off on a number of tangents above so it would be nice to get this confirmed.

"...the announcement should be next week" -- Well next week has been and gone and no announcemnt.

@Ed_H Your the Communty Manager -- why are you letting us - the EE community - down so badly on keeping us informed about Wifi caliling?

How hard would it have been so put out a quick message such as "We were hoping to make an announcment this week but unfortuniaetly we've not been able to do so. Bear with us we'll bring you news when we can." ?

Instead by saying nothing you make yourself and your employer look like clowns.

I have received a free upgrade to an iPhone 6 , a free signal box ( will not work because my broadband upload speed is not fast enough). A greatly reduced iphone 6 for my wife and half price line rental for both of us.

The chief execs office have been pretty good but now I want wifi calling that was I was promised "was just around the corner" by the end of Oct ,then the end of 2014, then the end of the first quarter 2015.

EE have completed removed the mast I used to connect to & now the one that services me only works if I am upstairs in my office/ home.

outside or downstairs coverage is poor or non existent .

A reliable promise of what to expect & when would be gratefully appreciated

One thing I really need an answer to is whether this will be enabled on the Samsung Galaxy S4. I know that with a firmware upgrade it is capable of the technology. But of course, the questions are whether EE will roll out the firmware to the S4, and whether they will enable Wifi calling for these handsets.

While I understand the overwhelming financlial urge for the company is to market new handsets, I personally have no interest in upgrading until I actually need new features or a new phone in general, not just because our consumerist society says I can upgrade.

At the same time, last year I moved to an area where there is bad mobile coverage by all networks, but EE is particularly bad here.

So, to me in some months time my contract expires and I must decide whether I stick with EE (I would need either a signal box or wifi calling) or, I take my existing S4 and move to a network that either has better coverage, and/or has a wifi option for me.

Not that I expect an answer, I thought I'd ask here, before the question is asked on the cancellation line in a few months time

1. When will ee update the coverage check so that it has 4g+ coverage on it, and it should also seperate the regular 3g to dc-hsdpa like the 3 coverage checker does.

2. Also will the sony xperia m2 support wifi calling and volte when its released.

3. And what 4g frequencies are currently active 800mhz/1800/2600mhz and will 800mhz 4g come to greater london and will we be able to use the 2600mhz 4g without a 4g+ phone which one will the phone prioritise out of all the bands.

4. Also what backhaul will the masts have to be 4g+ for example will it have 1gigabit backhaul like double speed 4g masts or more like 5gigabit backhaul.

Been with orange 20 years .signal at home got worst, I know they have been juggling ariels so I wrote to them to see if they could improve....my wife got just a telephoned reply,"where you live you are lucky to get a signal at all" We are not exactly in the sticks.I tried to get broadband but they could not do unlimited.

TALKTALK now supply unlimited broadband , unlimited calls even to mobils from landline and the app giving me wifi calling and when we are out our homephone calls come to my orange mobil at no cost. The app is not perfect but it works..When my orange contract expires I will probably move my mobil to talktalk